New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the liquor excise policy case late on Sunday, February 26.
In August 2022, the CBI had raided Sisodia’s residence after naming him in the FIR which concerns allegations of corruption in formulating Delhi’s liquor policy.
Sisodia, who had originally been summoned last Sunday, February 19, had asked for a week’s time before appearing, saying that he needed more time as he is busy with budget-related duties. Sisodia is also Delhi’s finance minister.
This Sunday, Sisodia was arrested after over nine hours of questioning.
Before going in for questioning, Sisodia had said that he does not care if he has to stay in jail.
“Going to the CBI again today, will cooperate fully with the entire investigation. The love of lakhs of children and the blessings of crores of countrymen are with us. I don’t care if I have to stay in jail for a few months. I am a follower of Bhagat Singh, Bhagat Singh was hanged for the country. It is a small thing to go to jail over such false allegations,” he wrote in Hindi.
Sisodia and the Aam Aadmi Party to which he belongs have maintained that party leaders are being targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (in opposition in Delhi) with the use of central agencies.
Earlier this week, Sisodia had said that the Union home ministry’s sanction to the CBI to prosecute him in an alleged snooping case was a sign of the Aam Aadmi Party’s growth.
In October last year, Sisodia had claimed that CBI had pressurised him to join the BJP if he wanted to avoid jail time. The CBI had denied these allegations.
